2024 Porsche 718 Cayman

The thing about the 718 Cayman coupe — and the 718 Boxster soft-top and the 911 — is that it starts out as a great driver’s car. Something that can be used for commuting and scooting alike. Stick with the base model, and it will still deliver — all week, every week.

Venture higher up the ladder, though, and great turns into glorious, superb becomes stupendous. It all depends on how much you want to spend and how fast you want to go.

The convertible 718 Boxster is reviewed separately.

Based on the regular entry-level 718 Cayman, the new Style Edition brings several cosmetic touches, along with black leather upholstery with contrasting stitching, illuminated scuff plates, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a heated steering wheel.

In the interests of being thorough, the 2024 718 Cayman S also comes standard with the same 19-inch alloy wheels as the 718 Boxster S. And the GT4 RS receives updated brake pads. The GT4 and T versions have been discontinued.

This might be the final year of production for the 718 Cayman and Boxster models as we know and love them. Porsche’s plans for a replacement include an all-electric drivetrain.

Putting forward a Toyota as an alternative to a Porsche might seem odd, but the GR Supra is a joint project with BMW and made in Austria. This rear-drive coupe starts in the mid-40s. The Jaguar F-Type ceases production after this year, priced from about $80K. The Chevy Corvette starts in the mid-60s. For those who might be wavering between the 718 Cayman and its soft-top stablemate, the 718 Boxster begins at $70.4K. Or if the call of a 911 is too strong to resist, expect to pay at least $114.4K.

Before buying a new 718 Cayman premium sports car, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.

Strong Resale Values

Porsche makes highly desirable, high-quality vehicles and this is reflected in their values on the used market. The 718 Cayman retains its worth exceptionally well.

Some enthusiast machines are just plain firm, a constant reminder of sportiness that can become tiresome if you’re not in the right mood or on the right roads. The 718 Cayman isn’t like that.

It’s composed, for sure. But there’s a fluidity to the chassis, the way it flows gracefully around corners with a fine balance from its mid-engined configuration.

The brakes feel decisive and easy to modulate. The steering is responsive, with feel and feedback most other cars don’t have. And we’ve found that the well-engineered manual transmission clicks sweetly from one gear to the next, requiring only minimal effort. Or the optional automatic with shift paddles behind the steering wheel has a similarly precise action.

Although the 300-horsepower engine in the base 718 Cayman is pretty good, we would recommend stretching to the 350-horsepower S model. The rest of the car is so capable and involving that we think it’s a shame not to exploit it with some real muscle.

The GT4 RS is its own animal. Its 493-horsepower engine comes from the 911 GT3, one of the most fearsome 911 models, with a much sportier (yes, firmer) suspension to match. Buy one if you want to win on track days.

This is a 2-seater, with its engine mounted behind those seats. We’ve found that there’s enough space and comfort for people of most shapes and sizes, as long as they’re happy to bend a bit getting in and out.

The seats are supportive, holding their occupants through quick corners yet cushioned to make long trips more than bearable. Achieving the ideal driving position is easy, and we think the steering wheel has just the right amount of chunkiness to it. Porsche always offers plenty of choices for color schemes.

The company keeps infotainment technology at an understated level. And no designer went to town on the interior. This car is more about driving than anything else, yet the materials and build quality are exemplary.

Most versions have a trunk area of 9.7 cubic feet, plus a 5.2-cubic foot space under the hood. So that’s useful in some ways, but not great for larger items. Oh well, who buys a sports car for hauling anyway?

On one side of the 718 coin is the soft-top Boxster. On this side is the coupe-bodied Cayman. Looks-wise, there’s nothing too wild going on and previous iterations are already standing the test of time.

The wildest change for 2024 is possibly the introduction of Ruby Star Neo paintwork, making its debut on the Style Edition but also available with the rest of the lineup. Other aspects of the new Style Edition include black exhaust tailpipes and the same wheels as the cool (but sadly discontinued this year) 718 Spyder.

Sport Chrono package
Standard in the higher trims, optional in the lower models, this package brings a clock/stopwatch for the center console and adds a launch mode for the automatic transmission.

Burmester audio
For a non-driving-related optional indulgence in the 2024 718 Cayman, we suggest this wonderful 12-speaker/821-watt surround-sound system.

Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)
Optional in the less expensive 718 Cayman models, standard at the more specialized levels, this is tuned for extra sportiness and a lower ride height than the regular car.

Porsche Torque Vectoring
Another feature that’s optional in the more affordable 718 Cayman models and standard higher up. A mechanical locking differential adjusts the amount of torque going to each rear wheel to help keep a tight line through quick corners. It comes in tandem with PASM.

Flat-6 engine
A classic Porsche configuration that comes with a special, thrilling exhaust sound. You’ll find one in the GTS 4.0 and the GT4 RS.

Porsche Ceramic Composite brakes
To go fast, you need good brakes. Not only are these discs huge, they’re made from a special material that won’t fade or warp even after a series of hot laps. They’re an $8,000 option with the top GT4 RS, but being a track-day hero doesn’t come cheap.

The base 2024 718 Cayman has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. In the Cayman S, displacement increases to 2.5 liters, enabling 350 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque.

Going up another level, we’re looking at naturally aspirated (no turbos or superchargers) 6-cylinder engines. As its name suggests, the GTS 4.0 has a 4-liter engine. It develops 394 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. Not so different from the 718 Cayman S, but it delivers its thrust at higher revs, allowing the driver to fine-tune power delivery with the accelerator.

A different 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engine goes into the GT4 RS. The crucial numbers here are 493 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. This much power in a small, light, and nimble car is fantastic.

The GT4 RS is the only 718 Cayman to come with a 7-speed automated transmission as standard (which says a lot about how highly Porsche rates this unit, known as PDK), the rest come with a 6-speed manual transmission, offering the PDK as an option. Every variant deploys rear-wheel drive. Premium gasoline is required for all engines.

2.0-liter turbocharged flat 4-cylinder engine (718 Cayman)
300 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950-4,500 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy (2023): 22 mpg (city/highway: 20/25 mpg) (manual), 24 mpg (city/highway: 21/27 mpg) (auto)

2.5-liter turbocharged flat 4-cylinder engine (718 Cayman S)
350 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
309 lb-ft of torque @ 1,900-4,500 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy (2023): 21 mpg (city/highway: 19/24 mpg) (manual), 22 mpg (city/highway: 19/25 mpg) (auto)

4.0-liter flat 6-cylinder engine (GTS 4.0)
394 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm
309 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000-6,500 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy (2023): 19 mpg (city/highway: 17/24 mpg) (manual), 21 mpg (city/highway: 19/24 mpg) (auto)

4.0-liter flat 6-cylinder engine (GT4 RS)
493 horsepower @ 8,400 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 6,250 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy (2023): 16 mpg (city/highway: 15/19 mpg)

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-car and powertrain warranties for a 2024 Porsche 718 Cayman are for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is common coverage among European luxury brands.